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Tears For Fears|The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point

Tears For Fears

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For their first album in 18 years, Tears for Fears sound completely revitalized and as beautiful and engaging as ever. Remarkably, it's fueled in part by the 2017 death of Roland Orzabal's wife and partner of many years and his denial about losing her. "I think that when you've been close to someone for decades, they are living within you as well as without," he has said. "And consciously I did not believe she would die, though subconsciously I was, without doubt, preparing for the inevitable, arming myself against the future shock." The title track is shimmering and mysterious, with strident drums and alien beeps but also vocals like a soothing balm. "Winter done, they'll soon be gone/ From this unforgiving place/ To that vague and distant void/ Where the sunlight splits the eye," Orzabal sings of that threshold from life to death. It is heartbreaking, but also hopeful. "Please Be Happy" is incredibly candid—and one of their prettiest tracks: "These days it's like a wave is breaking over you/ Dragging you in with the undertow/ If you lay among the graves you will see other ghosts." And "No Small Thing," about facing the heartbreak of losing your love, is a stunner. Stripped-back acoustic guitar builds to the dreamy psychedelia Tears for Fears has always done so well, the whole thing swelling to a bursting-the-seams crescendo by the end. "Long, Long, Long Time" shows how the duo have always been masters of dynamics, its hymn-like organ giving way to a monster chorus; the song also reminds you just how much Sam Smith owes Curt Smith for their angelic style. "Master Plan" giddily dips into the band's longtime love of Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles, and "Break the Man" is catchy jangle pop touched with moody strings. "My Demons," meanwhile, is a nasty piece of work, in the best way (one akin to Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus"), with Orzabal drilling the doomed lyrics: "Why is my name in lights when my name is spelled wrong … People always find you when your cell phone is on." Smith comes in to sweeten up the chorus, but he sounds thrillingly stretched to his limits as the rhythm gallops like a sweating horse. Put The Tipping Point on the shelf next to Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking for times of crisis. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

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The Tipping Point

Tears For Fears

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1
No Small Thing
00:04:42

Curt Smith, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Sterling, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carina Round, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Petty, Accordion, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Jamie Wollam, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

2
The Tipping Point
00:04:13

Tim Palmer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Producer, Recording Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, ComposerLyricist - Florian Reutter, Producer, Additional Producer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

3
Long, Long, Long Time
00:04:31

Curt Smith, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Carina Round, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

4
Break The Man
00:03:55

Curt Smith, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aaron Sterling, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

5
My Demons
00:03:08

Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Producer, Recording Producer, ComposerLyricist - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Carina Round, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Florian Reutter, Producer, Additional Producer, ComposerLyricist - Max von Ameln, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

6
Rivers Of Mercy
00:06:08

Lauren Evans, Choir - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jessi Collins, Choir - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Aaron Sterling, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carina Round, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Petty, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Charles Jones, Choir - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Jason Joseph, Choir, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

7
Please Be Happy
00:03:05

Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Doug Petty, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

8
Master Plan
00:04:37

Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Producer, Recording Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Florian Reutter, Producer, Additional Producer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

9
End Of Night
00:03:23

Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Producer, Recording Producer - ROLAND ORZABAL, ComposerLyricist - Tears For Fears, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Florian Reutter, Producer, Additional Producer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

10
Stay
00:04:36

Curt Smith, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - SACHA SKARBEK, Producer, Recording Producer - Tears For Fears, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist - Charlton Pettus, Producer, Mixer, Additional Producer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Florian Reutter, Producer, Additional Producer

℗ 2021 TFF UK, LLC

Album review

For their first album in 18 years, Tears for Fears sound completely revitalized and as beautiful and engaging as ever. Remarkably, it's fueled in part by the 2017 death of Roland Orzabal's wife and partner of many years and his denial about losing her. "I think that when you've been close to someone for decades, they are living within you as well as without," he has said. "And consciously I did not believe she would die, though subconsciously I was, without doubt, preparing for the inevitable, arming myself against the future shock." The title track is shimmering and mysterious, with strident drums and alien beeps but also vocals like a soothing balm. "Winter done, they'll soon be gone/ From this unforgiving place/ To that vague and distant void/ Where the sunlight splits the eye," Orzabal sings of that threshold from life to death. It is heartbreaking, but also hopeful. "Please Be Happy" is incredibly candid—and one of their prettiest tracks: "These days it's like a wave is breaking over you/ Dragging you in with the undertow/ If you lay among the graves you will see other ghosts." And "No Small Thing," about facing the heartbreak of losing your love, is a stunner. Stripped-back acoustic guitar builds to the dreamy psychedelia Tears for Fears has always done so well, the whole thing swelling to a bursting-the-seams crescendo by the end. "Long, Long, Long Time" shows how the duo have always been masters of dynamics, its hymn-like organ giving way to a monster chorus; the song also reminds you just how much Sam Smith owes Curt Smith for their angelic style. "Master Plan" giddily dips into the band's longtime love of Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles, and "Break the Man" is catchy jangle pop touched with moody strings. "My Demons," meanwhile, is a nasty piece of work, in the best way (one akin to Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus"), with Orzabal drilling the doomed lyrics: "Why is my name in lights when my name is spelled wrong … People always find you when your cell phone is on." Smith comes in to sweeten up the chorus, but he sounds thrillingly stretched to his limits as the rhythm gallops like a sweating horse. Put The Tipping Point on the shelf next to Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking for times of crisis. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz

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